And in Texas, a 55-year old former Marine has been arrested for avoiding military service in the Vietnam War. Ernest McQueen, born Ernest Johnson Jr, fled his North Carolina military base in 1969 — over 36 years ago. McQueen told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Monday his desertion was motivated by news of the My Lai massacre of Vietnamese civilians, growing anti-war protests in the US and disturbing stories he had heard from returning Marines. McQueen said: “I just decided I didn’t want to be part of killing anybody. That’s as plain as I can say it.” McQueen is currently a Texas prison. He could face up to three years in jail.